


His Father's Approval

by DaronwyK



Series: What if... HP Drabbles & Short Stories [32]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Family Fluff, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-24
Updated: 2018-04-24
Packaged: 2019-04-27 03:52:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14417094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaronwyK/pseuds/DaronwyK
Summary: Draco's been waiting his whole life to hear his father say the words. They finally come when he no longer needs to hear them.





	His Father's Approval

**Author's Note:**

> Light Hearted One-Shot

**o.o.O.o.o**

 

Draco was sitting off to the side, sipping a glass of lemonade and watching his girlfriend float around the small party in the backyard of her parent’s muggle home. With the help of Professor Snape, she had been able to reverse the memory charm she’d used to protect them during the war and now they were back in London. Hermione had planned a lavish welcome home party for them and invited their friends and work colleagues. Hermione had insisted that Draco come and bring his parents, refusing to take no for an answer.

 

They’d been dating for nearly a year now and his father was slowly coming around to the idea that he was, in fact, serious about Hermione. For a while, his father had been convinced that she was merely an ‘itch he needed to scratch’, but last week he’d put those ideas to rest. He’d asked his father to go with him to the family vault to find a ring. His mother had been strangely supportive of the relationship, though Draco guessed that it was because she knew that Hermione was exactly what they needed to repair the tainted Malfoy name in the wizarding world. She was the darling of the Ministry right now, riding high off her newly passed piece of legislation granting rights and protections for werewolves, the so called ‘Lupin’s Law’.

 

There was something to be said for sitting on the sidelines and just observing everything. A part of Draco deeply envied the casual intimacy that Hermione shared with her parents. Her father thought nothing of wrapping an arm around her and dropping a kiss on the crown of her head, as he spoke with his business associates. It was the kind of relationship he hoped to have one day with his children, children that he’d been thinking about all too much lately. They’d have two, a boy and a girl, and they would spoil them horribly. Hermione would continue with her career in the Ministry, and Draco would start assuming some of the business responsibilities from his father.

 

He could see it all in his mind’s eye, laid out perfectly before him. He caught Hermione’s gaze and started walking across the yard. They’d never really talked about marriage before, but they’d been dating for a year and it was expected that they’d make things official soon. A little twinge of fear twisted in his gut though, what if she said no? What if she was still secretly pining for Weasel-Bee and just using him to make the ginger git jealous? He wasn’t a complete idiot and knew their first few dates had been just that, a way to get one back on Ron for his humiliation of her with Lavender Brown. He’d agreed, refusing to pass up his chance with the brilliant witch for a little matter of principal.

 

All of the worries and insecurities suddenly hit him like a wave, catching in his throat and making him want to flee the happy atmosphere. He jumped nearly a foot in the air as Mr. Granger clapped him on the shoulder.

 

“Alright there son?” The muggle asked.

 

“I….” Draco stammered.

 

“Come with me a minute, Hermione’s not going anywhere.” George Granger steered the young wizard his daughter had been dating off to the side. The man was perhaps a little older than Draco’s father, but had a warm expression on his face. “You have the look of a young man who has an important question to ask.”

 

Draco flushed and nodded. “I do,” he said and carefully pulled the small blue ring box out of his pocket. “I should have asked your permission first,” he admitted guiltily.

 

“While I appreciate the thought, Draco, the only person whose permission you need is Hermione’s.” George smiled. “You’ve been good for her, and nothing would make me happier than to see the two of you make a life together. Do you love her?” he asked.

 

Draco’s grey eyes travelled across the yard, watching Hermione talking to his mother and a few other ladies. She looked…beautiful. The sun played off the gold highlights in her hair, and she’d left her curls loose today. The pretty yellow sundress she wore clung to her curves and yet was undeniably modest. He felt himself nod. “More than anything, sir.”

 

“Then you don’t have anything to worry about. Deep breath and off you go, lad.” George smiled a little, trying to encourage him.

 

Draco swallowed nervously and headed over towards the small cluster of women. He caught his mother’s eye and was reassured by the little smile she gave him. “Hermione?” he said, hoping she didn’t hear the tremor in his voice.

 

Hermione turned and a brilliant smile lit her face. “Draco! Where have you been?” she asked.

 

“I…well you see…” he stumbled over his words a bit until he caught sight of his father out of the corner of his eye. His father was now standing beside George Granger and he gave his son a very slight nod. Draco took a deep breath, reminding himself that he was a Malfoy. A Malfoy asked for what he wanted, refusing to admit defeat. He took her left hand in his and went down to one knee, looking boldly into her eyes. “Hermione, would you do me the honour of agreeing to be my wife?” he asked.

 

Hermione stared at him, utterly shocked and for the first time speechless. It took her a moment and she nodded. “Draco…yes,” she whispered softly, tears shining in her eyes. “Yes, I’ll marry you,” she said a little more confidently. Refusing his proposal never even crossed her mind.

 

Draco mentally thanked Merlin that he hadn’t just humiliated himself in front of both their families, and bloody Potter. He took out the ring, a beautiful blue diamond surrounded with small clear diamonds, and slipped it onto her ring finger. “I love you,” he said sincerely and stood, stealing a kiss to the applause of the party.

 

Narcissa moved forward and kissed her son on the cheek, whispering very quietly in his ear. “Well done, Draco.” She then hugged Hermione warmly and kissed her cheek. “Congratulations.” She said sincerely and moved back while Mrs. Granger hugged her daughter and gave Draco a kiss on the cheek as well.

 

“I’m so happy for you two.” Jean said, wiping tears away.

 

George Granger came over and shook Draco’s hand. “Welcome to the family, son.” George nodded and kept an eye on the blonde wizard that approached them all. Everyone seemed to collectively hold their breath, certain he’d refuse to give his blessing to the engagement.

 

Lucius Malfoy came over and gave his son a small, genuine smile. “Congratulations Draco, I believe you will both be very happy.” He turned to Hermione and leaned down, kissing her cheek. “I wish you luck with keeping my son in line.” He chuckled a little.

 

Hermione returned the small peck on the cheek. “I’m sure your wife can give me some pointers on keeping Malfoy men out of trouble.” Mischief danced in her eyes as she said it.

 

Narcissa’s laughter rang through the backyard. “Oh my dear, I’ll be giving you the manual.”

 

o.o.O.o.o

 

“Papa, why do we always come to Grandma and Grandpa Grangers on July 10th?” Sofia looked up at her father.

 

“Because, eleven years ago, your Grandma and Grandpa held a lovely party here and I proposed to your mother. Every year since we’ve had a family party, to celebrate it.” Draco said, picking up his ten year old daughter and settling her into his lap. Sofia would be off to Hogwarts in another year, but for now, Draco intended to enjoy having their whole family together. Hermione was cradling the newest Malfoy in her arms, chatting happily with Jean and Narcissa. The women were fussing over their son endlessly. Draco nodded to his father as Lucius came over to sit down with them.

 

“Sofia, why aren’t you playing with your sisters?” Lucius asked.

 

“They’re playing with blocks, blocks are for babies.” Sofia made a face, flatly refusing to go over to the sandbox and join Portia and Selene.

 

Draco repressed the urge to chuckle. “Well, you’re certainly not a baby. Why don’t you go and join Grandma Jean and Grandma ‘Cissa?” he suggested. “If you ask nicely, I can’t imagine Grandma Jean refusing to let you try one of her raspberry tarts.” He winked.

 

Sofia’s face brightened and she kissed her father on the cheek. “Ok!” She hopped off his lap and headed over to her Grandmothers.

 

“I was starting to think I’d never have a grandson.” Lucius teased his son. Hermione had given birth to their fourth child last month, the first boy.

 

Draco chuckled. “Don’t even try and pretend you don’t adore your granddaughters.” He gave his father a look. The Elder Lord Malfoy pretended to be buttoned-up and proper all the time, but more often than not you could find him playing in the garden with his three rambunctious granddaughters teaching them to fly brooms, or sneaking them into the kitchens for sweets.

 

Lucius chuckled, not denying it. “I know that I don’t often say it Draco, but I am proud of you,” he said quietly, sipping the lemonade that his daughter-in-law always served at this event. What had started as a party for friends of the Grangers, had evolved into a family only event for the Grangers and Malfoys. For muggles they were…tolerable, he supposed. “You never did anything so good as convincing that witch to marry you.”

 

Draco looked stunned for a moment before he recovered his composure. “You know you’ve never said that, not once since we’ve been married,” he said quietly.

 

“I should have. I had my reservations about Hermione, and not purely because of her blood,” Lucius held up a hand to forestall the inevitable argument. “I have my beliefs Draco and they are unlikely to change, that is not what I wanted to say.” Lucius took a deep breath. “I was unsure that you’d be compatible long term, as she is a forceful young woman with strong ideals and goals. I wasn’t convinced that those goals would fit into a life with you, as the next Lady Malfoy. I was worried she would break your heart, son,” Lucius admitted softly. “I’ve never been so happy to be wrong.”

 

Draco was quiet for a long moment, absorbing the fact that his father had actually admitted he’d been wrong. He nodded quietly. “She makes me a better man, and you didn’t raise me to buckle under father…I can be forceful too when I believe in something.”

 

“Yes you can.” He’d seen it clearly the night Draco had come to him asking for one of the family engagement rings. He’d attempted to talk him out of his plan to ask Miss Granger to marry him, and his son had held his ground for the first time. “The night you asked for the ring, was the first time you’d come to me not as a boy asking for permission, but as a man telling me what you were going to do. I knew then, that regardless of my concerns, she’d at least turned you into the man I’d always hoped you’d be.”

 

“Thank you, father. It means a lot to hear you say that.” He swallowed thickly. He’d wanted his father’s approval for his entire childhood and a good portion of his adult life. In marrying Hermione, he’d almost given up hope that he’d ever manage to please him, never mind get him to admit it. Never in a million years would he have thought his father secretly approved of Hermione. Sure, his father was always polite to his wife, but there was none of the warmth and ease that Hermione shared with her parents or even with his mother.

 

“I can say it now because you no longer need my approval, Draco,” Lucius said and stood, heading over to where his daughter-in-law was gently rocking his grandson, Lucien Draco Malfoy.

 

“Lucius, do you mind? He spit up all over my dress,” Hermione said and handed her son off to him.

 

Lucius chuckled. “You know that I never mind, my dear.” He cradled the baby carefully. “You shouldn’t ever mess with a witch’s dress, Lucien…they’re capricious creatures.” He winked at baby.

 

Narcissa snorted. “Don’t you dare corrupt him, Lucius…it’s bad enough Hermione insisted on naming him after you.”

 

“I’m hardly corrupting him, just imparting an important life lesson. After all, that’s what grandfathers are for.” Lucius chuckled, sharing a look with George Granger. It was strange to consider the two muggles family, but over the years that is exactly what they had become. Stranger things had happened, but if you asked Lucius Malfoy, he’d be hard pressed to name one.

 

~Fin.

  



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